Year 5 No 4 December 1981November saw two promotions by Edinburgh A&F Club both within the space of the week concurrent with Accordion ’81 and Edinburgh enthusiasts had the opportunity to indulge in a feat of accordion playing in the capital.Our normal Club night had Archie Duncan as guest artiste giving the type of polished performance for which he is so properly recognised and an appreciative audience singing along with a series of catchy melodies.Several of our younger players complimented the programme, though space this month prevents me from listing them all. Welcome visitors were Alistair Edmundson, the popular Jimmy Divers and solo violinist Andrew Knight. Nice to see the fiddlers getting round to the Club again.A most welcome surprise visitor was young Ian Skinner, fresh from his victories at Perth, and giving a superb performance for such a young lad. My thanks to Graeme Edwardson, Calum Smith, John Gibson and Graham Jamieson for great backing for our players and to Gordon Sinclair our MC for the whole evening. If I concentrate this month’s news on our second Club venue it’s because we were privileged to hear the rare talent of the supreme of the jazz accordion - Jack Emblow.Thanks to the Musicians Union and their special projects organizer John Fegan we were able to bring Jack up from London, backed by the Kenny Stewart Trio and accompanied by veteran trumpeter John McLevy, for a jazz evening. Enthusiasts of both accordion and jazz were there in force to savour (and envy) the artistry of this man and we quickly had a true jazz atmosphere in a friendly, informal way and a superb evening where we quickly ran out of superlatives in describing Emblow’s playing.This went down as a memorable night and demands have already been made for a repeat visit next year.My thanks to all for making this such a marvellous night.Adam Braidwood (Secretary) Year 5 No 6 February 19821982 is proving to be an eventful year for Edinburgh A&F Club and we’re anticipating a series of venues as successful as those of last year when our last Club night, in December, took the form of a ceilidh and dance to the music of Iain MacPhail and his SDB.Dancing was non-stop to the marvelous sound of this top-flight band complimented by our ceilidh artistes Lisa Cameron with a splendid display of Highland dancing, Duncan Smith with an impressive selection on the pipes and guitarist and singer Betty Buckle. It all added up to a grand night’s entertainment and my special thanks to the King James Hotel, Royal Doulton, William Sanderson and Co, the Tartan gift Shop and Mrs Crombie for their generous and imaginative raffle prizes. Guess the weight of the cake – so delightfully made by June Lindsay’s mum – was an obvious hit and congratulations to Joyce Crombie and Christine Leatham for again so capably arranging such a successful dance.Early January’s atrocious weather which disrupted so many social activities didn’t deter our regular visitors and members for our meeting with Peter Innes and his SDB. Here’s a well-drilled and experienced team with an extensive repertoire in strict tempo, versatile and able to cater for all tastes and a real lift to all their Scottish and traditional playing. A ‘real’ treat - Scottish fans and Clubs still to enjoy hearing this band have something to look forward to. Our other guests who braved the elements included Ian Brown and Scott Higginson, Webster Craig and David Strang, Alan McVie and Eric Faulkener, Bill Rintoul on ‘moothie’, Angus Murray, Calum Smith, Graham Jamieson and Jan Kowalski. A welcome visit again from Ian McCallum from the Grace McCleaver Band rounded off an enjoyable evening.Please note that resulting from the sudden closure of the premises, the Club have had to cancel the scheduled meeting for February. Fortunately we resume again on Wednesday, 17th March 82 at 7.30pm in our new premises, The Berry Suite, at Abbeyhill (tel 661 6777) where we invite all our regular and new members and all box and fiddle players to join our guest artistes The Currie Brothers.Walter Perrie will be our guest artiste on Wednesday, 21st April, so I look forward to a capacity audience for both functions.Adam Braidwood (Secretary)Year 5 No 8 April 1982Edinburgh A&F Club’s March venue in our new premises in the Berry suite, Abbeyhill, had a marvelous baptism through the appearance of that most talented trio, The Currie Brothers, long overdue at our Club since its formation, but so well worth waiting for.What a marvelous reception from our capacity audience, eager to sample both the facilities of our new ‘home’ and the outstanding playing of these superb musicians.Our senior accordion band got the playing under way, followed by those young stalwarts Ian Brown, David and Kevin Brown, Gavin Gray, Graeme Crozier and John Howden, all delighted later in the evening to get such positive encouragement from our guest artistes.We were pleased to have such established players as Peter Innes on fiddle, George Hodd, accordion, and Callum Smith, second accordion, with John Gibson on piano and Gordon Smith on drums. What an encouragement to the Club for these players to find time from their own band commitments to come along for our benefit. Other welcome players included Scott Higginson, David Brown, Colin Brown and Craig McCallum now all showing the fruits of their hard work. Good to see Billy Rintoul back in fine form on moothie, with the usual talented Janik Kowalski, Angus Murray and James Bell all to the fore.Those versatile men John Gibson, Billy Purvis, Graham Edwardson, Callum Smith and Stuart Hood, again all finding time from their band commitments, all displayed the high standard we take for granted, playing with real bite and lift to their Scottish selections. Gordon Smith and Syd Archibald – take a bow for such smooth and imaginative backing for the players.Our guest artistes, The Currie Brothers, surpassed all our expectations. Their presentation , harmony, arrangements and consummate ease with which they play such a diverse programme was a delight for audience and players alike.One can only marvel at the skill and natural of these lads and the positive contribution they make to the health of the accordion scene in Scotland. Haste ye back.Thanks again to all the supporters, players and guests, to Gordon Sinclair for ensuring smooth proceedings, and to Mr and Mrs Berry who’ve made us so welcome in our new premises.We look forward to three forthcoming Club events – Walter Perrie as guest artiste on Wednesday, 21st AprilThe Edinburgh Accordion Festival on Saturday, 1st May 1982 at the Brunton Halls, Musselburgh with contests during the day and Gala Concert at night with Iain MacPhail’s Band and supporting artistes in the evening, tickets at studio and Club andfinally our end-of-season dance with Jim Johnstone and his Band on Wednesday, 19th May. Tickets available shortly.Adam Braidwood (Secretary)

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